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Melvin, aides prep for Trade Deadline

7/22/14: Brewers general manager Doug Melvin joins the broadcast booth and talks about the team and the upcoming Trade Deadline

By Adam McCalvy
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MLB.com |

ST. PETERSBURG -- Doug Melvin needed some extra chairs in the visiting general manager's suite at Tropicana Field on Monday.

With the non-waiver Trade Deadline looming at 3 p.m. CT on Thursday, Melvin led a larger-than-usual group of Brewers officials on the team's first trip to the Tampa Bay region since 2005. Among those in attendance were assistant GM Gord Ash, special assistant Craig Counsell, senior director of baseball operations Tom Flanagan, pro scouting director Zack Minasian and director of video scouting and baseball research Karl Mueller.

When the rest of the team departs Thursday for St. Louis, Melvin and Minasian will stay behind through Thursday's Trade Deadline before seeing the Advanced Class A Brevard County club play three games in nearby Bradenton, Fla., Friday-Sunday.

"I'm listening, taking phone calls, looking at the rumors, putting fires out, whatever," said Melvin, who didn't throw any cold water on one hot rumor circulating Monday -- that he had contacted the Rays to put his "foot in the water" on ace left-hander David Price.

Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brew Beat, and follow him on Twitter at @AdamMcCalvy. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.